Catching a Fish (What would you do?)

[dutch06]

I have a ten month old reef, 120g, with an extremely deep sand bed. I have around 250 pds of sand and 180 pds of rock. I need to catch a dottyback. I want this fish out of my tank. It does fine with the fish that are currently in there, a mated pair of clowns, hippo tang, and two cromis. I'm interested in adding another tang and a mandarin and I know this guy isn't going to have it. I have tons of frags and want to avoid upsetting the sand and stressing out the other fish.
I put a fish trap (the clear box with the sliding door) in there a week ago today. I have used spectrum and krill inside the trap and the only thing that manages to find it's way in there is my cleaner shrip and arrow crab. I have left the door closed to see if they would go in through the tube to no avail. I haven't fed my tank in a week. I only feed the trap. Still no luck. I have been removing the shrimp and crab when they get in there, so the trap stays empty except for the food.
Here's my options:
1. Keep the trap in there and keep doing what I'm doing for a few more days. What I'm worried about is the rest of my fish haven't had food for a week. I have been told two weeks is the max, so I feel as if I'm getting too close for comfort.
2. Turn the trap the opposite direction and try the sliding door. This would require me to sit there with the fishing line in hand until he went in there. This fish is very leary of me, all my others swim right to the top when I'm feeding, this guy stays in the back until I'm far from the tank, so I'm not sure how affective this will be. I got about 10 feet a string, but I think this is a one shot deal, if he ever goes in and I got a chance, nothing can go wrong or he will never go near the trap again.
3. Remove everything and catch the darn thing. This is WORST case scenario, I don't want to stress out my fish, knock over 25 corals and totally rearrange my aquascape over this $15 fish. BUT IT HAS TO GO!!!!
Please help. What would you do? (Moving the trap to another location in the tank is not an option due to corals and rock.)

 

[thegrog]

I don't think there is a right answer to this problem.
I would try anything before resorting to moving the rockwork. Fish are far faster than you and I are with a net. Trust me, I have had to do it.
I dont know if this would be feasable with your setup, but here is what I have tried once in the past with some success.
I got some leftover peices of plexiglass and formed walls around a fish trap causing a funneling effect. Then chased the fish in there and manually closed the trap. They can't see the plexiglass underwater and swim along the edges. This only works if you got the room and I would be worried about coral frags when doing this. Just a thought.
Good luck

 

[sly]

It sounds like you are using the wrong kind of trap. Any trap where you had to sit around and catch the fish would drive me crazy...
I had some plans for a trap somewhere but I can't find them. So I'll do my best to remember.
Take a 2 liter bottle and tape the lid to it. Cut 2 triangular shaped slits in it. Don't cut out the 3rd side of the triangle as you don't want to actually leave a hole... you just want a flap. The holes need to be cut to a size that will allow the fish to swim in but not too big so that other fish can get in there. You want to round off the point of the flap so that you are not left with a sharp edge for the fish to be cut on. Bend both flaps inward some so that the fish can get in but if it tries to swim out, it will push the flap closed. It acts as a hinge. Put some of your best food in there and maybe a little garlic (fresh garlic crushed up).
Maybe I am forgetting something... but the fish should eventually swim in there and then not be able to get back out as it can't swim back through the flaps. The hole will not allow any of the bigger fish to get in and smaller fish "should" be able to swim out if they need to because the flap is big enough for them to squeeze back out of.

 

[dutch06]

Thank you for your responses, this is driving me crazy.
The Grog - Sounds like a great idea, but my current rockwork won't allow me to put probably more than a foot piece of plexiglass in there to form the funnel. Since my tank is 2 foot tall, I would think he would just go up and over. And this guy hates me. He won't come near the glass when I'm around. (I think he knows the feeling is mutual.) With 180lbs of rock to hide in, I don't know if I could get near him to corral him.
Sly - The trap I'm using is the plexiglass box with two funnels to allow access. I haven't stood by the tank at all with it in there. My next option would be to close the funnels and open the door and sit there, and sit there, and sit there. Yours sounds good, but how long would you leave the trap in there with the garlic if it wasn't successful?
My main concern right now is the rest of the tank hasn't eaten in a week. If I feed them, what's going to entice the dottyback to go into a trap with food? I'm stuck, I appreciate any suggestions.

 

[thegrog]

hand grenades????

I am stumped. Getting a fish out of rockwork is nearly impossible. Good luck and sorry I could not be of any more help. Perhaps someone else has an idea that has not been tried.
I would definatly feed the rest of the tank though. No need to let everyone suffer.

 

[krazekajin]

pardon my dumb question and ignorance,
But why is it necessary to remove this fish? Most dottybacks fight with their own.
Are dottybacks that aggressive that they will not allow a tang and/or mandrian fish to be added to a tank as big as a 120g?

 

[dutch06]

Krazekajin - I don't really know the answer to your question but this one is a beast. He owns one entire side of the tank. He has 60 gallons to himself. My arrow crab is the only thing in the tank not scared of him.
In regards to the tang and mandarin, I don't want to add a tang and have anything even look at him if it could increase the risk of ich or disease. Their so fragile anyway, this guy will not help my cause. With the mandarin being a primarily rock dwelling fish, he's not going to know which rocks belong to the dottyback and which he can cruise in. I think it's the established territory theory.

 

[sly]

I'm still looking for those directions on that fish trap. The garlic is just a suggestion to lure him into the trap as it is a strong attractant. You don't need to use it and if you do, you don't need much. Just remove it when you remove your fish. still looking... I posted it one time on this forum but I can't find it nor is google helping.

 

[krazekajin]

thanks, I understand now.
Then I recommend grenades. Just kidding.
Does the dotty have a special hiding place? I have heard of blocking one entrance to a fish's hiding cave and then flushing him out into a net on the other side.

 

[dutch06]

Sly - Thanks for your help. Regarding the garlic, if I put it in, say when I left for work, would it be ok for 8-10 hours in the tank? Or overnight? Basically, if the garlic has to stay in for some period of time is there any adverse effects?
Krazekajin - Not really. He just cruises around like he's a pimp and everybody gets out of his way. I will be honest, I'm not even sure where he sleeps. He probably doesn't sleep, he just sits in there and dreams of ways to avoid capture.